16-year-old identified as victim of West Zone fire that gutted Berry Creek, killed at least 9

The first victim of the fire that largely destroyed the Butte County community of Berry Creek has been identified as a 16-year-old high school student who was overtaken by flames before he could escape.

Authorities have told the family of Josiah Williams that he was killed in the blaze, his aunt, Bobbie Zedaker, said.

“He was supposed to leave when his brother did, but he didn’t,” Zedaker said. “I have no idea why.”

Zedaker said authorities had asked Williams’ brother for DNA to establish the identity of a victim found in Berry Creek, one of nine known victims from the blaze so far. (On Friday, the number was revised lower by one.)

Authorities have not yet formally identified any victims, and say at least 16 people are missing.

Zedaker said Williams’ mother, Jessica Williams, was flying out to California from Indiana Friday morning and described her nephew as “a very smart kid.”

“He was adventurous, he was very outgoing, he was very kind,” she said.

Family members had posted pleas for help in finding him on social media, writing that he had last been seen at the family home on Bean Creek Road.

Zedaker said her own home on Hidden Springs Road was destroyed in the fire, and that she barely had time to leave Tuesday when authorities warned residents they needed to flee immediately.

“We had like 20 minutes after they sent out the alerts,” she said, adding that she lost essentially all of her belongings.

Only a handful of structures in the town of about 500 people in the hills above Lake Oroville survived the fire, which was originally named the Bear Fire but now is being called the West Zone of the North Complex Fire.

On Friday morning, Cal Fire officials said the West Zone was 70,412 acres and 5% contained — the overall North Complex has burned 252.534 acres and 23 contained.

Homes, businesses, churches and a camp for children with cancer burned to the ground throughout the town, and wrecked and burned vehicles could be seen on various roadways, apparent evidence of residents trying to flee.

At one spot near where the California Highway Patrol said two victims had been found, on Graystone Lane near Bald Rock Road, two burned vehicles sat immobile with a red X painted on the doors.

One was a small pickup and had the remnants of a burned out guitar case and melted CDs in the bed.

The other was a four-door hatchback, with a large dog crate in the rear with the bodies of two small dogs that had been burned. Another, larger dog was also in the hatch area and appeared to have been burned in the fire.

This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 8:13 AM with the headline "16-year-old identified as victim of West Zone fire that gutted Berry Creek, killed at least 9."